1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image information processor such as an electronic filing apparatus having a means for storing electronic document data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image information processor has been developed in which electronic document data being transmitted and received are stored as electronic document files in a storage means such as a memory and the contents in the memory can be confirmed on a display unit. For example, as shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. H4-86064, this type of image information processor has a function of storing received electronic document files in the storage means so that the stored files may be printed out by the user""s operation. Therefore, the electronic document files stored in the storage means are first confirmed on the display unit for selection and then, the selected file is printed out through a printer.
FIG. 10 shows a prior art of the image information processor having a storage means. In the image information processor shown in FIG. 10, when connection to the line is made by a facsimile communication unit 801, the transmission protocol is decided by the transmitting side facsimile and a central control unit 804, and a facsimile signal is sent from the transmitting side facsimile. The facsimile signal is converted into a binary signal by a signal converting unit 802 and after indices such as the date and the identification (ID) code of the transmitting side are added, the binary data are stored in a storage unit 803. The contents in the storage unit 803 together with the indices are displayed on a display unit 805 by operating an operation unit 807. Looking at the display, the user determines whether the received data are necessary or not, and prints out only necessary documents onto recording paper through a printer unit 806 by operating the operation unit 807. The unnecessary documents are erased from the storage unit 803 without being printed out.
Moreover, as shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application H6-217045, the image information processor may be arranged so that the electronic document files being stored are displayed on a display terminal to perform a search and the selected electronic document file stored in the storage means is transmitted together with image information of an attached document being read in. FIG. 11 shows a prior art of the image information processor having a storage means. In a facsimile apparatus having a reading means 902 for reading the character image of an attached document being set and a storage means 909 for storing electronic document data, the following means are provided: a detection means 901 for detecting the presence/absence of the attached document being set on the reading means 902; and a control means for controlling so that when the detection means 901 detects the presence of the attached document, the electronic document data read by the reading means 902 are also transmitted in transmitting the electronic document data stored in the storage means 909. A facsimile cover sheet which is the attached document being set on the reading means 902 and the electronic document data stored in the storage means 909 can be transmitted together to another facsimile.
Moreover, as shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. S62-157471, the image information processor may have a simple confidential reception function which enables communications respecting each receiver""s privacy so that only the receiver""s name and the file number are outputted onto the recording paper at the time of facsimile reception and only the facsimile-received document of the specified file number is outputted in taking out facsimile-received documents. FIG. 12 shows a prior art of the image information processor having a storage means. In the prior art, when a confidential reception mode is set by an operation button of an operation display unit 1003, the facsimile performs a receiving operation in the following manner: When a document to be transmitted is set on a transmitting side facsimile (hereinafter, referred to as transmitting station) and transmission is started, on the receiving side, a network controller 1010 senses a call signal and performs switching from the telephone section to the main section of the apparatus. A system control unit 1001 causes a file number generating unit 1004 to generate a file number and stores the file number in an image memory 1002 so that facsimile-received documents are successively stored in the memory area corresponding to the file number. At a plotter 1008, recording paper is outputted having a width D where only the receiver""s name entered on the transmitting side and a file number Fno recorded by the facsimile are shown.
In the image information processor, however, when selection is made from among the electronic document files being stored, it is necessary to display the electronic document files on the display screen and perform a search to make a decision. Therefore, as the number of stored electronic document files increases, the search becomes more complicated and requires more time. Additionally, the provision of the display unit such as the display screen for displaying the details of the images increases the cost.
Further, when an electronic document file is facsimile-transmitted together with an attached document, it is necessary to follow a complicated procedure such that after the electronic document file is searched for and the attached document is read in, both are correlated.
Moreover, in inputting from the keyboard a number outputted when a received document stored in the storage means is taken out, there is a risk of input error.
In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior arts, an object of the present invention is to provide an image information processor and an image information communication apparatus where the identification of electronic document files stored in the storage means such as a memory is more easily performed.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention of an image information processor comprises: storage means for storing a plurality of electronic document files; image superimposing and outputting means for superimposing identification information for identifying a predetermined electronic document file stored in the storage means on image information of a specific page of the predetermined electronic document file, and printing out the superimposed image; and readout means for reading a printed output of the superimposed image, reading the identification information included in the superimposed image, and reading a corresponding electronic document file from the storage means based on the file identification information,
wherein when an attached document is read in together with the printed output of the superimposed image, the readout means makes a distinction between the printed output of the superimposed image and the attached document by use of the identification information.
The present invention of an image information processor comprises: storage means for storing a plurality of electronic document files; image superimposing and outputting means for superimposing identification information for identifying a predetermined electronic document file stored in the storage means on image information of a specific page of the predetermined electronic document file, and printing out the superimposed image; readout means for reading a printed output of the superimposed image, reading the identification information included in the superimposed image, and reading a corresponding electronic document file from the storage means based on the file identification information; and facsimile reception means for receiving data transmitted from a facsimile,
wherein the plurality of electronic document files stored in the storage means include a file received by the facsimile reception means.
The present invention of an image information processor comprises: storage means for storing a plurality of electronic document files; image superimposing and outputting means for superimposing identification information for identifying a predetermined electronic document file stored in the storage means on image information of a specific page of the predetermined electronic document file, and printing out the superimposed image; and readout means for reading a printed output of the superimposed image, reading the identification information included in the superimposed image, and reading a corresponding electronic document file from the storage means based on the file identification information,
wherein said readout means collates input password information being inputted with previously-recorded use permission information, and reads out an electronic document file being stored only when both of the information coincide with each other.
The present invention of an image information processor comprises: storage means for storing a plurality of electronic document files; image superimposing and outputting means for superimposing identification information for identifying a predetermined electronic document file stored in the storage means on image information of a specific page of the predetermined electronic document file, and printing out the superimposed image; readout means for reading a printed output where the superimposed image is shown, reading the identification information included in the superimposed image, and reading a corresponding electronic document file from the storage means based on the file identification information; facsimile communication means for transmitting and receiving according to a facsimile format the electronic document file read out by the readout means; transmission error message generating and outputting means for adding at least receiver information for identifying a receiver of an electronic document file whose transmission resulted in error and identification information for identifying the electronic document file to a medium on which a transmission error message is shown, said medium being outputted when a transmission error occurs during transmission according to the facsimile format; and re-transmission control means for, when re-transmission according to the facsimile format is directed, causing the facsimile communication means to re-transmit the electronic document file whose transmission resulted in error by using at least the receiver information and the identification information added to the medium being outputted.
The present invention of an image information communication apparatus comprises: facsimile communication means for transmitting and receiving image information according to a facsimile format; re-transmission information generating means for, when a transmission error occurs during transmission according to the facsimile format, generating, together with a transmission error message, re-transmission information including receiver information for identifying a receiver of the facsimile transmission and information for identifying image information whose transmission resulted in error; and re-transmission control means for, when re-transmission according to the facsimile format is directed, causing the facsimile communication means to re-transmit the image information whose transmission resulted in error by using the re-transmission information being generated.
According to the present invention, in an image information processor having storage means for storing an electronic document file, for example, file storage location information of the electronic document file is printed out onto a sheet of paper together with the image of the first page, and in identifying the electronic document file, the printed sheet is read in and the file storage location information is obtained to thereby take out a desired electronic document file.
Moreover, in reading the image of the storage location information of the electronic document file, the document to be transmitted is also read in and facsimile-transmitted together with the electronic document file, for example, to the same receiver.
Inputted use permission information is collated with previously-recorded use permission information and only when both coincide with each other, the facsimile-received document, for example, is printed out.